Pipeline Project Worries South Tampa Businesses

A plan to replace a water pipeline along MacDill Avenue has some business owners worried.

"I don't know about this if they start to disrupt the traffic," said Marc De Waele, who opened Art Symphony Galleria five months ago at 2714 S. MacDill Ave. and said business has been slow. "But if we need the pipe, we need the pipe."

With a tough economic climate and small businesses struggling, the Palma Ceia Business and Design District hosted the city's Utility Capital Improvement Projects staff at its recent meeting.

"We're still in the very exploratory phases of this project," said engineer Niel Postlethwait.

He said the staff is designing the project and hopes to present a budget proposal to the Tampa City Council by October. A rough estimate has construction beginning that month and ending July 2010.

Worries about parking and construction during the holiday season were met with promises to look at easing current parking restrictions.

"We'll do our best to minimize the impact during that time," Postlethwait said, explaining one side of MacDill would remain open and three blocks at a time would be under construction to allow access to businesses.

The pipeline improvement project is threefold.

The first phase is installation of a 12-mile drinking-water pipeline from the David L. Tippin Water Treatment Facility in northeast Tampa to the Bay to Bay Boulevard area; roughly from North A Street west to New Jersey Avenue and west on Platt Street to MacDill, where it will run south to San Carlos Street, Esperanza Avenue and Empedrado Street.

The $55 million project is funded through a fee paid by builders and developers, said India Williams, spokeswoman for Utility Capital Improvement. Aging pipes, service interruption and low water pressure are the reasons for the project.

Along with the new pipeline, two South Tampa projects will replace 4.5 miles of distribution lines within Palma Ceia and 1.25 miles of pipeline in the Bay to Bay area to fully utilize the drinking water pipeline.

The distribution line replacements are being funded by a water utility rate increase approved in 2007.

Business owners hope the project disruptions won't deter shoppers from finding their way to Palma Ceia.

Owners are working to get distinctive neighborhood signs for the district, and De Waele, a sculptor, has offered to create artwork to enhance the area's sense of identity. A spring festival also is in the works.

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For information on the Palma Ceia Business and Design District, call Jennifer Davidson at (813) 293-3823, e-mail jennifer@i2i-creative.com or go to www.palmaceiadistrict.com.